Lotus Notes integration

Tue May 15 12:07:12 EDT 2001

Hi Everybody,

Does anybody have suggestions on the installation of the free SAP version of
Lotus Notes integration? If I just want to execute my work items on-line in
Lotus Notes, how much time will it take to make this work? Is it as simple
as the Outlook integration?
Any tips, tricks, dos and don'ts regarding this will be welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Arnoud van Heerde

-----Original Message-----
From: Rickayzen, Alan
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 5:59 AM
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Execute workitem from Lotus Notes (no SAP user)

Rakesh,
The Lotus Notes integration downloadable from Lotus does require the LN SAP
Connector and this does cost money.

However, the SAP version, not only offers additional features BUT ALSO IS
FREE. All the software comes on the GUI CD. You DO NOT HAVE TO BUY THE LN
SAP Connector.

Kind regards,

Alan Rickayzen
SAP AG

-----Original Message-----
From: Rakesh Dube [mailto:rakesh_dube at pacific.net.sg]
Sent: Freitag, 20. April 2001 08:34
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Execute workitem from Lotus Notes (no SAP user)

Hi ,
We also have problem related  to Lotus Notes and work item but different
nature
Actully we configured the Purchase req. and purchase order workflow
My client want to approve the PO/PR from Lotus Notes

We demostrated the Workflow connector to him , he was happy but problem is
only
2 approver are there and LN SAP connector(Software) is costing him around
10K S$
As per him this is very high cost for 2 user.

Can any one suggest some other alternatives method to approve workitem from
LN

Thanks
Rakesh

Kjetil Kilhavn wrote:

> Although Alan and Jocelyn advice you from doing this what you are really
asking
> is whether it is possible, and if so how it can be done. I won't say the
advice
> against doing it are bad, because I haven't thought much about those
aspects -
> but I agree that you need to do a lot of the authorisation checking
yourself.
> Just because something isn't always a good idea that doesn't necessarily
imply
> it is never a good idea. If you can live with it, then here are some
> suggestions.
>
> You can do this by using the integration tools from Lotus. There are two
of
> them, one called the SAP connector (I think) and the other called LSX for
SAP
> R/3 RFC.
>
> We have until now used the LSX for integration (not your scenario), and it
has
> worked OK with SAP version 3.1, 4.0 and 4.5. With 4.6 we have encountered
a
> problem, so we will not be using it anymore. However, since our problem
was
> related to starting the GUI, you can possibly still use that solution.
Note that
> Lotus wants to phase it out, so support is limited.
>
> Checked the internet pages, it the LSX and then "Lotus Enterprise
Integrator or
> Domino Enterprise Connection Services with the Domino Connector for SAP
R/3".
> See their pages at
> http://lotus.com/products/eibu_knowbase.nsf/eipages/homeconsap
>
> The demo of the connector focuses on field mapping. The nice thing about
the LSX
> is that the LotusScript extensions give you a fair amount of control. You
could
> e.g. first call a function to do authorisation checking, and then if that
was OK
> call a function to do the desired processing. Thereby you would avoid the
> problem Jocelyn mentioned about the workflow continuing even if the user
wasn't
> authorised.
>
> Another option (to hide password etc also from those who have designer
access in
> Notes) is to call an executable program from your Notes form (or whatever)
and
> use a C++ program to do all the communication towards SAP. I suppose SAP
keeps
> updating their C++ toolkit to support every release. It has some nice
classes,
> so if you have some developers with a fair C++ knowledge they should be
able to
> hatch the egg here.
>
> I'd recommend calling your own functions in SAP from Notes (or a C++
program),
> and then in those functions do the magic. Then the code outside SAP would
be
> fairly small.
> --
> KjetilK
>
>> From:  "Dart, Jocelyn" <jocelyn.dart at sap.com>@MITVMA.MIT.EDU> on
20.04.2001
>        01:44
>
> Please respond to "SAP Workflow Users' Group" <SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
>
> Sent by:  SAP Workflow <Owner-SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
>
> To:    SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> cc:     (bcc: Kjetil Kilhavn)
>
> Subject:  Re: Execute workitem from Lotus Notes (no SAP user)
>
> Hi Flavio,
> I've been through this discussion with another customer.
> I can only support Alan's advice, i.e. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!!!
> Just because something is technically possible, doesn't mean it's a good
> idea.
>
> Using a generic user to send back the workitem results is very dangerous
> from a
> security standpoint.  Even if you are able to record who sent the mail,
how
> often
> will that log be checked?  Given that the executed workitem will continue
> the workflow
> immediately the results are received, even if you do find an unauthorised
> person
> has sent the results, how will you catch it in time?  And how are you
going
> to reverse what's happened?
> Especially if there is a monetary or contractual flow on?
>
> The classic scenario to explain worst case:
> a) Authorised person receives email with executable workitem attachment
> b) Authorised person needs more info before making decision, so forwards
> copy of workitem
> with request for more info back to the initiator
> c) Initiator is now able to execute the workitem attachment - i.e. approve
> their own stuff!!!
>
> If it's the licensing that's the issue, suggest you ring your local SAP
> helpdesk
> and get someone to discuss the licensing issue with your account manager
at
> SAP.
> If you are on a mySAP licence it may not cost any extra (i.e. it may
already
> be
> included in your current licensing agreement), even if you are on an
> old licence these are minimal users and should attract a minimal cost.
> But you have to talk to the licensing experts on this.
> Regards,
>         Jocelyn Dart
> Consultant (BBP, Ecommerce, Internet Transaction Server, Workflow)
> SAP Australia
> Email jocelyn.dart at sap.com <mailto:jocelyn.dart at sap.com>
> Tel: +61 412 390 267
> Fax: +61 2 9935 4880
>
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Flavio Oliveira [mailto:oliveiraflavio at hotmail.com]
> Sent: Friday, 20 April 2001 6:49 AM
> To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: Re: Execute workitem from Lotus Notes (no SAP user)
>
> Alan:
>
> The problem is that I have some users that will use SAP very sporadically
> and, some times, they are not locally at our site. Is not interesting for
us
> to have specific SAP user id's for this kind of sporadicaly users.
>
> That is why we are trying to use lotus notes id's.
>
> The problems with log information we can try to solve by putting the notes
> id as the user who has realy approved the document. I know that this is
> possible only by changing standard SAP and we will have to decide what is
> better: either create SAP users for all involved people or try to use the
> lotus notes solution (with all the inconvenient that we know that exist).
>
> I would appreciate any suggestion.
> Thank you very much.
> Flavio.
>
> >From: "Rickayzen, Alan" <alan.rickayzen at sap.com>
> >Reply-To: SAP Workflow Users' Group <SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU>
> >To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> >Subject: Re: Execute workitem from Lotus Notes (no SAP user)
> >Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 14:32:13 +0200
> >
> >Flavio,
> >The problem is that e-mails can be forwarded to anyone and by providing a
> >generic mechanism you completely lose control over who-does-what in the
SAP
> >backend system. It would be like creating a user with no password control
> >whatsoever.
> >
> >You also lose all accountability in the different workflow logs.
> >
> >Why do it via e-mail rather than using the Web Inbox which everyone can
> >access (via their user id and access control)?
> >
> >It would help if you could paint the exact scenario.
> >
> >Alan Rickayzen
> >SAP AG
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Flavio Oliveira [mailto:oliveiraflavio at hotmail.com]
> >Sent: Donnerstag, 19. April 2001 14:23
> >To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> >Subject: Execute workitem from Lotus Notes (no SAP user)
> >
> >
> >I know that is possible to send a notification from workflow to an
internet
> >email address.
> >
> >But is it possible to execute a workitem from this internet address and
use
> >some generic SAP user to actually update the data on SAP?
> >
> >Thanks.
> >Flavio.
> >_________________________________________________________________________
> >Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
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